One thing you learn, if you read Scripture at all, is that God certainly makes unlikely choices. Moses was no orator—but God chose him instead of his more fluent brother Aaron to lead the chosen people to freedom. Instead of choosing the eldest of the many sons of Jesse to lead Israel (as would have been the likely choice), God told the prophet Samuel to anoint David, the youngest son. And when Jesus walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he didn’t select his first disciples from the powerful, or the rich, or the learned. He called a couple of fishermen, Simon and Andrew, then another pair of fishermen brothers, James and John. Eventually he even added a tax collector, the very symbol of injustice.

Why fishermen, other than the opportunity for a nifty metaphor??

Well, why not? God’s choices are not about who already has power, but about making God’s power manifest to the world. That’s a huge difference.

  “Pescador de Hombres” is a natural choice to sing today—but why not sing it in Spanish, as it was originally written?  Yes, it means the choir has to work a little harder to learn clear, authentic Spanish. (A tip: if you can’t roll the r’s, sing a d instead.) But it’s worth doing as a consciousness-raiser for your community. Don’t forget a bulletin note about the song and its composer, Cesário Gabaráin, a priest from northern Spain who was a huge cycling fan and ministered to riders in the Tour de France and other races. (Another unlikely choice.)

GIA’s “Two Fisherman” is a safe, predictable choice—but check GIA’s Worship II hymnal for the same tune with a more challenging poetic text: “How brightly deep! How glory sprung!” with its appropriate refrain, “Leave all things you have and come and follow me.”